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How would you attempt to support the hypothesis that the "dragon bones" described in ancient Chinese texts refer specifically to dinosaur bones? What sort of evidence would you consider convincing?

2. The rivalry of Cope and Marsh, which was a major motivator behind their enormous number of significant dinosaur discoveries and other contributions to paleontology, brings up an interesting ethical question (Chapter 2). Did the value of their discoveries outweigh the costs of their enmity? In other words, did the ends justify the means?

3. The field party sent by Osborn to Como Bluff in 1897 was unsuccessful, but it forced Osborn to look at a different nearby locality, which resulted in the "Bone Cabin" find of thousands of dinosaur bones. What other instances in the chapter seemed to show similarly discouraging circumstances that caused the people involved to accomplish tasks that actually resulted in later success?

4. The phrase "degrees of separation" refers to how one person who has met two other people represents one degree of separation that links the two, who might never meet. Which historical examples of "degrees of separation" surprised you with regard to dinosaur paleontologists and non-paleontological figures? (For example, how many degrees of separation are there between Sitting Bull and Roy Chapman Andrews?)

5. This chapter presents data that could support the statement that a career of paleontology and geology fieldwork has known health benefits and results in a significantly increased lifespan (see Table 3.1). How would you test this statement? What are potential sources of error in these data, such as in calculations of the ages of the geologists and paleontologists?

6. After finding a bone bed in Cretaceous rocks, you set about mapping the area containing the exposed bones. The area measures 13.5 x 22.5 m and contains about 1250 bones. What is the approximate bone density of this bed (in m2)? What are some factors that might cause variations in this average?

7. In the accounting of the history of dinosaur studies, is there any evidence of the effect of language barriers on worldwide exploration for dinosaurs in the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth century? On the basis of dissimilarities in language and culture, what areas of the world would have been the most difficult for Europeans and North Americans to arrange visits? What areas, however remote, were more conducive to investigations?

8. Identify and count how many of the nineteenth century geologists and paleontologists were clergymen. How did some of their findings conflict with the religious conventions of the time? Additionally, how many of the people mentioned from the nineteenth century were